First Ever Meeting Held at the United Nations on Refugees and Migration Challenges

NEW YORK - As a result of an initiative conceived and proposed by HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, as the President of the Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization (CSU), the first ever meeting was held at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber at the United Nations Headquarters in New York under the theme: “Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants: Critical Challenges for Sustainable Urbanization".

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh’s pioneering initiative to convene the first UN meeting on this theme and as its Patron was recognized by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the American Institute of Architects (AIA) – New York Chapter − and the CSU in their statements.

The meeting was co-organized by UN-Habitat, Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org), CSU, United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees, International Organization for Migration, International Labor Organization, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Global Migration Group, AIA, and Sustainable Urbanization Network (Network 11). 

The new ‘Global Alliance for Urban Crises’ initiative has put forward the principle to manage migration flows and displacement as both a humanitarian and development challenge. To that end, the Sustainable Development Goal 11 on ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’ and the New Urban Agenda under discussion provide the opportunity to highlight the power of urban planning and design. This event will help shape key messages for the UN High Level Summit on Refugees and Migrants planned for September 19, 2016.

During the event, key issues were discussed including reviewing innovative designs and planning practices to address critical challenges and implications for the large movements of refugees and migrants to ensure social cohesion, equitable access to services and housing, and urban sustainability; in addition to the role of governments and inter-linkages covering the humanitarian, economic, social, political and security aspects.

The meeting attracted broad participation with the ECOSOC chamber packed to capacity of over 400 seats. The level of participation was also very high with high-level speakers such as the Deputy Secretary General, Dr. Joan Clos, Ambassador Ms. Dina Kawar of Jordan and  Ms. Josep Roig, Secretary-General of UCLG taking the lead in the opening session, and a diverse set of panelists from all key stakeholders, AIA, UN Ambassadors, architects, urban planners and civil society.

Aside from the meeting’s objective of raising awareness, there was a sense of optimism that the UN, G20 and other world leaders placed the current crisis as high priority on the global agenda.